Highest-paying jobs in Kentucky
The highest published median in Kentucky is for cardiologists, at $558,180 a year. The median for all occupations in the state is $46,920, against $50,980 nationally.
Kentucky · all occupationsMay 2025
- Median / yr
- $46,920
- Mean / yr
- $58,990
- Price level (U.S.=100)
- 90.2
- Median, price-adjusted
- $52,041
- Adjusted rank
- 28 of 51
- Jobs
- 2,000,360
Price-adjusted = median ÷ (BEA 2024 regional price parity ÷ 100). Compare all states.
The 50 best-paid occupations in Kentucky
KY · Src BLS-OEWS · May 2025Top 50 of 699
| No. | Occupation | Median in KY | U.S. median | Employed in KY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cardiologists | $558,180 | $496,010 | — |
| 2 | Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $350,950 | $232,140 | 6,260 |
| 3 | Anesthesiologists | $347,960 | $391,490 | 1,090 |
| 4 | Neurologists | $338,850 | $248,560 | 230 |
| 5 | Physicians, All Other | $327,390 | $265,930 | 3,340 |
| 6 | Physicians, Pathologists | $324,390 | $312,400 | — |
| 7 | Obstetricians and Gynecologists | $317,110 | $292,910 | 240 |
| 8 | Radiologists | $279,990 | $420,860 | — |
| 9 | Family Medicine Physicians | $248,730 | $244,180 | 1,170 |
| 10 | General Internal Medicine Physicians | $241,530 | $256,560 | 1,060 |
| 11 | Psychiatrists | $237,770 | $281,870 | 160 |
| 12 | Nurse Anesthetists | $222,520 | $236,590 | 1,640 |
| 13 | Podiatrists | $201,260 | $160,300 | 80 |
| 14 | Dermatologists | $195,830 | $328,730 | — |
| 15 | Physicists | $180,910 | $172,250 | 50 |
| 16 | Chief Executives | $179,530 | $213,990 | 2,070 |
| 17 | Pediatricians, General | $175,690 | $210,040 | 380 |
| 18 | Emergency Medicine Physicians | $169,390 | $335,550 | 620 |
| 19 | Surgeons, All Other | $162,160 | $414,010 | 440 |
| 20 | Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | $150,650 | $153,990 | 370 |
| 21 | Psychologists, All Other | $149,990 | $110,840 | 300 |
| 22 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $147,680 | $171,270 | 1,800 |
| 23 | Law Teachers, Postsecondary | $140,820 | $128,500 | 120 |
| 24 | Computer and Information Systems Managers | $140,360 | $175,140 | 3,130 |
| 25 | Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary | $139,110 | $94,980 | 70 |
| 26 | Sociologists | $136,870 | $106,030 | 30 |
| 27 | Pharmacists | $136,530 | $140,910 | 5,030 |
| 28 | Dentists, General | $134,160 | $170,950 | 790 |
| 29 | Financial Managers | $130,650 | $166,570 | 6,630 |
| 30 | Commercial Pilots | $129,990 | $123,220 | 800 |
| 31 | Marketing Managers | $128,930 | $166,790 | 1,930 |
| 32 | Optometrists | $128,860 | $136,570 | 430 |
| 33 | Sales Managers | $128,650 | $148,270 | 6,650 |
| 34 | Air Traffic Controllers | $127,800 | $148,080 | 230 |
| 35 | Natural Sciences Managers | $126,440 | $167,220 | 400 |
| 36 | Aerospace Engineers | $126,130 | $134,960 | 290 |
| 37 | Database Architects | $125,400 | $139,500 | 350 |
| 38 | Fundraising Managers | $124,770 | $125,470 | 210 |
| 39 | Purchasing Managers | $124,350 | $148,080 | 920 |
| 40 | Airfield Operations Specialists | $123,290 | $56,850 | 290 |
| 41 | Managers, All Other | $122,930 | $141,900 | 2,390 |
| 42 | Nurse Practitioners | $122,870 | $132,300 | 4,770 |
| 43 | Human Resources Managers | $121,460 | $149,280 | 1,960 |
| 44 | Physician Assistants | $120,760 | $135,880 | 1,360 |
| 45 | Ship Engineers | $120,550 | $109,530 | — |
| 46 | Actuaries | $120,400 | $130,000 | 70 |
| 47 | Chemical Engineers | $117,170 | $125,040 | 190 |
| 48 | Computer Hardware Engineers | $116,200 | $161,740 | 500 |
| 49 | Education Administrators, Postsecondary | $114,310 | $104,590 | 890 |
| 50 | Compensation and Benefits Managers | $114,290 | $149,230 | 110 |
Dashes mean the employment estimate was not published.
Best-paid occupations with at least 1,000 jobs in Kentucky
- Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers — $350,950 (6,260 jobs)
- Anesthesiologists — $347,960 (1,090 jobs)
- Physicians, All Other — $327,390 (3,340 jobs)
- Family Medicine Physicians — $248,730 (1,170 jobs)
- General Internal Medicine Physicians — $241,530 (1,060 jobs)
- Nurse Anesthetists — $222,520 (1,640 jobs)
- Chief Executives — $179,530 (2,070 jobs)
- Architectural and Engineering Managers — $147,680 (1,800 jobs)
- Computer and Information Systems Managers — $140,360 (3,130 jobs)
- Pharmacists — $136,530 (5,030 jobs)
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state file.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024.